In the fall of the houses of Douglas and Boyd, the aristocracy received a severe blow. James aimed to rule with absolute authority; but his genius was inade quate to the attempt, and he fell a sacrifice to the re sentment of the incensed nobility. A very important treaty was entered into by the English and Scottish monarchs. The king of England offered his daughter Cecilia, only four years of age, in marriage to the prince of Scotland, a child of two years; and with her a portion of twenty thousand merles, to he paid in ten years by annual instalments' Having thus secured the friendship of England, James enjoyed full leisure to improve the domestic policy of his own kingdom, by reducing more com pletely the Western Islands. The Lord of the Isles was summoned to appear at court; but disobeying the royal mandate, sentence of forfeiture was pronounced against him, which induced the refractory chief to ap pear in parliament and supplicate the royal clemency. In consequence of his engaging to maintain the laws of the kingdom, he was confirmed in his jurisdiction and title as Lord of the Isles, but was deprived of the earldom of Ross, and of Knapdale and Kintyre.
Events of an inauspicious aspect concurred to hasten the tragical termination of James's reign. His brothers, Albany and Mar, were princes of a charac ter dissimilar to the king's. They associated with the nobility, and excelled in martial exercises; while lie, neglecting the duties of his high station, incurred the contempt of the haughty nobility. The wardenship of the eastern marches had been assigned to Albany by his father; the command of Berwick and the lieu tenancy of the borders had been subsequently intrust ed to him by his brother. A violent feud existed be tween Albany and the Homes and Lindsays; and in order to procure Albany's ruin, his enemies applied to Cochrane, one of the king's favourites, who report ed, on the prediction of a witch, that he should be slain by one of his nearest kindred. The monarch's suspicions immediately fell upon his brothers, and they were seized and confined in separate fortresses. Albany effected his escape to France, but Mar was brought to Edinburgh and bled to death.
An infraction of the truce with England occasioned alternate incursions of the English and Scots, unim portant in the details. Instigated by revenge, Albany was persuaded to pass over from France to England, and to enter into a treaty with Edward the Fourth to dethrone the king of Scots. James applied to his par liament, but the nobles took the field with a stronger disposition to regain their lost authority, than to an noy the enemy. About 50,000 men attended the king from Edinburgh to Lauder, where the nobles delibe rated upon their purpose of revenge. The obnoxious
royal favourites were Cochrane, Hommil, Leonard, Rogers, and Forfyan. Cochrane had been created earl of Mar. It was determined that James should be placed under restraint, and that his favourites should be hanged over the bridge at Lauder. This resolution was speedily executed, and the king was conducted to Edinburgh castle, and there confined. Meanwhile, the English took Berwick, and advanced to Edinburgh; but Albany, finding the nobles indis posed to dethrone the king, sued for a pardon, and obtained it. The English army retired. Albany's ambition revived by his security; he renewed his trea sonable correspondence with the court of England, which being discovered, he became a second time an exile in England.
Richard the Third was disinclined to second the views of Albany; but Douglas agreed to assist him in his designs upon the kingdom, and entered Scotland with five hundred horse. But the name of Douglas had lost its influence, and Albany was despised. Their troops were soon overpowered; Albany escaped to France, where he died; and Douglas was sentenced to be imprisoned for life in Lindores abbey.
A train of misfortunes preceded the conclusion of James's unhappy reign. Untaught by the tragical fate of his former favourites, he relapsed into his former conduct, associating with persons of mean birth, and secluding himself from the nobility. A conspiracy was formed to imprison and dethrone the king; but he had influence to muster an army of 30,000 men. The disaffected nobles prepared a formidable force. Both parties were, however, reluctant to put the issue of the contest upon a Dattle, and James disbanded his troops. His pusillanimity emboldened his enemies to re-assemble their adherents, and they constrained the prince to become their nominal leader. The king proceeded to Stirling castle, to join the loyal peers who were advancing to his help, and was advised to hazard an engagement near Bannockburn; but the action had scarcely commenced when lie fled. He was thrown from his horse, and a priest being called to hear his confession, one of the rebels being eon ducted to the unfortunate monarch under this pre tence, stabbed him to the heart.
James the Third was killed in the thirty-sixth year of his age and the twenty-eighth of his reign, leaving three sons.
James the Fourth succeeded his father, and was crowned at Scone. A revocation of all lands, dignities, and offices, granted since the commencement of the civil war, was published. The estates passed an act of indemnity; but the part which the young king had taken in the late contest, excited his remorse; and, as an evidence of his contrition, he constantly wore an iron girdle.